Green Star – Communities: Project Support

Project Queries

The GBCA offers a number of services designed to help you reduce project risk, achieve clarity, and ensure a successful submission. If you have any questions about these services, contact your Case Manager.

Credit Interpretation Request (CIR)

A request to use an alternative approach to whatis specified in a credit.

Answers to queries must be included as part of your submission, as they are used by the Assessment Panel when assessing your project. They overrule any guidance in the credit, and are a great way to ensure a successful submission.

Queries can be submitted online through the Project Manager Portal. We endeavour to answer all queries within 10 working days. Due to the complexity of some queries submitted, we may require further explanation from project teams. In these cases, your Case Manager will contact you to discuss.

Queries must be associated to a project. If a query is not attached to a project, additional fees, or extended timeframes, may apply at the discretion of the GBCA. Additional fees may also apply if the answer to the query is expected to apply to multiple projects.

Credit Interpretation Request

A Credit Interpretation Request (CIR) is made when you wish to use an alternative approach to what is specified in a credit. Examples include changes to the compliance requirements, alternative options to the Credit Criteria, recognition of new standards, or a request to have a credit be made ‘Not Applicable’.

What information should I include?

An outline of why the project cannot meet the Credit Criteria or Compliance Requirements as outlined in the credit

A clear and concise explanation of what the proposed alternative is and how it meets the Aim of Credit

Relevant documentation. e.g. drawings, plans, supporting documents.

What should I expect?

Your request will be either approved, with or without additional conditions, or declined. Conditions may include additional documents at the submission stage, or ensuring the alternative request is reflected in other credits. The response to declined queries will outline the reasons why the proposal was not accepted and where possible, options going forward.

Cost

CIRs are $400 (excl. GST) for each request.

Tips

Make sure that your request leads you to achieving the Aim of Credit and Credit Criteria. Credit Interpretation Requests are rarely declined for reasonable requests. When they are declined, it is due to the request not being equivalent, or compliant, with the Aim of Credit and Credit Criteria.

Responses to CIRs do not constitute as an assessment of your project.

Be clear and concise, and only provide relevant information and documents.

Contact your Case Manager if you have any questions.

Technical Clarifications

Technical Clarifications (TCs) are made when you wish for further clarification on an item within the credit, or if you would simply like to confirm that your interpretation is correct.

What information should I include?

Quotes, page numbers and references to the Technical Manual

A clear explanation of what you would like clarified

What should I expect?

Responses to TCs typically include:

Confirmation of your interpretation, or an explanation if your interpretation is not correct

Clarification or answer to your question

Explanation of the requirements in the Technical Manual and what the project team needs to do

Cost

Technical Clarifications are $100 (excl. GST) each.

Tips

Before submitting a TC, make sure you have carefully read the relevant credit in the Technical Manual

Make sure you have a clear question

Explain how you have interpreted the issue

Be clear and concise

Eligibility Query

An Eligibility Query is a query that is submitted to the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) when a project team wishes to clarify whether a project meets any of the Green Star Eligibility Criteria

Your request will be approved, with or without additional conditions, or declined. Conditions may include either additional documents at the submission stage, or making sure the alternative request is reflected in other credits. The response to declined queries will outline the reasons why the proposal was not accepted and where possible, options going forward.

Familiarise yourself with the BCA Class requirements for the relevant rating tool

Identify whether any of the buildings have shared services

Upload drawings, plans and relevant documents to assist in reviewing the Eligibility Query

Be clear and concise

Credit-By-Credit Assessment

The Credit-by-Credit Assessment service provides a project teams with likely outcome of a credit claim, prior to the regular rounds of assessment, reducing the need to to pursue expensive ‘buffer credits.’

What information should I include?

Project teams to submit documentation for one or more credits that they intend to claim as part of their Green Star Assessment. Any credit can be submitted however if submitting an Innovation credit for assessment, please consult your Case Manager as Credit-by-Credit assessment is not appropriate in some situations for the Innovation Category.

What should I expect?

Individual credits can be submitted at any time throughout the certification process. The outcome of a Credit-by-Credit Assessment will be either:

Point(s) to be confirmed indicating that further documentation is required for the credit to be assessed and points awarded; OR

Point(s) awarded conditionally indicating that the documentation provided is sufficient for compliance with the credit (in accordance with the Requirements outlined in the relevant Submission Guidelines) and that no further information will be required for the project submission. It is important to note that the reason these points are ‘conditionally’ awarded when no further information is required is because the final award of the credit points is subject to a consistency review, undertaken by the Assessment Panel during the standard rounds of Assessment (Round 1 and/or Round 2).

Point(s) awarded indicating that post Round 2 a point has been awarded and the final assessment results have been updated accordingly.

Cost

Credit-by-Credit Assessment ranges from $1,000 to $2,000 (excl. GST) per credit depending on the complexity of the credit to be reviewed.

Tips

Be clear and concise.

If you are experiencing any technical difficulties or require assistance please view the instructional video on how to register your project, or contact a member of the Green Star Certification Team.